Recollections of White
by BlueEyedMystery
Summary: Sequel to Sound of the Islands! A group goes to a ski resort. While there, me, Sora, Kairi, Riku, Roxas, and Namine go skiing off the trail and end up getting lost in a blizzard. Will we find a way back before we freeze our butts off? Read it & find out!
1. Chapter 1: Calls, Friends, & Flashbacks

- **AUTHOR'S NOTE** -

Ta-daa! Here you have the beginning of my long-awaited sequel to _Sound of the Islands_ -- _Recollections of White_! Okay, you can cue the dramatic music now…lol.

This time I got a lot of inspiration for my story not just from Kingdom Hearts, but from reading other fanfictions as well. And of course, Kingdom Hearts 2. hehe Oh yeah, I also can't forget all you wonderful reviewers who spurred me onward!

Okay, first thing's first – I'm going to admit up front that my style of writing is a lot more laid back in this story. At least, for the first part of it anyways. It gets more intense and suspenseful in the second part. There's also a ton of new characters in this story…not just characters from KH/KH2, but others from Final Fantasy too (since I love Final Fantasy), including Aerith (or Aeris – whatever, I call her Aerith in this story), Cid, Yuffie, Cloud, and many others! I was really excited about bringing new characters into the story and figuring out how I wanted to convey their personalities to the reader. And of course, Sora, Kairi, and Riku are in this story too (how could they _not_ be? hehe).

This story takes place just several months after the first story ended. Kairi, Sora and the gang (including me) just turned seventeen…except for Riku, who just turned eighteen. Sora and I are now boyfriend and girlfriend too (yeah, bet you didn't see _that_ coming. haha). I also T rated this story because, well…there's…certain, uh…_things_ that happen in the story, and they aren't especially meant for kids' eyes to read (nothing serious, but ya know…what kid would want to read a graphic description of two people kissing? lol)

Let's see, what else…ah yes. Almost forgot. I had more fun writing this story for some reason – I knew from the first KH fanfiction I made that the sky's the limit. Anything can happen in a fanfiction, and I love having all that freedom. You get more creative and see how the readers respond to it as well. That, my friend, is the coolest thing ever.

So I hope that you guys enjoy reading _Recollections of White_. It's a little different from _Sound of the Islands_, but hey…variety is the spice of life, right?

- **BlueEyedMystery** -

**NOTICE: IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE FIRST STORY, I STRONGLY SUGGEST YOU READ SOUND OF THE ISLANDS BEFORE READING THIS ONE - THAT WAY, EVERYTHING WILL MAKE SENSE.**

Disclaimer: I do _not_ own Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy - even though I wish I did!!! hehe

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Chapter One

- **Phone Calls, Friends, & Flashbacks** -

The backdrop of cars and buildings was all a blur as I absorbed the images from my window, a smile stealing my sleepy expression and replacing it with a warm glow. These surroundings were very familiar to me; I had lived here for as long as I could remember. Yet somehow it seemed as if I were seeing everything for the first time. Closing my eyes for a moment, I rested my head awkwardly against the glass, giving in to fatigue. _I shouldn't have stayed up so late last night_, I scolded myself, and as my thoughts merged together and my mind began to drift gradually into sleep, I smiled again.

- - -

I was in my room. The jasmine incense I had positioned on top of my dresser was quietly smoldering out, and my aquarium pump was humming softly. There was a short knock on my door, and my mother entered a heartbeat later with the phone in her hand. "It's for you," she told me with a grin, and left the room.

"Thanks Mom." I gladly stopped writing on the history worksheet I had been doing for school and picked up the phone, my heart racing as I held it to my ear. _Could it be Sora? He promised to call me this week…and he hasn't yet. _I took a deep breath and cleared my thoughts, embarrassed at myself. I didn't even know who was on the other end of the line, and I was acting like an idiot. _Come on now, get it together.._

"Hello?"

"Hey Jess!" It was Kairi. I felt a pang of disappointment shoot through me and mentally kicked myself for not wanting to talk to my best friend. I hadn't been to the Destiny Islands in almost a month, and since then had only talked to Sora on the phone twice (even though it was for almost three hours each time – Mom was pretty mad at the phone bill). I should have been pleased to hear Kairi's lively voice, but instead I was flooded with mixed feelings and wanted to go back to my homework.

"Hey Kai," I said as happily as I could. "How are you?"

"I'm great!" she responded, her voice rising an octave. "Just sitting here missin' you as always." She chuckled slightly, and I felt my spirits lift a little. There was a small pause over the receiver, then a sigh. "You were expecting Sora to call, weren't ya?"

I was unable to hold in a startled gasp, and stammered, "N-no! I wasn't at all," _Oh great! You're more of an idiot now than you were before._ Even over the phone Kairi didn't miss a thing. I heard her giggle, and looked down at the floor as if she were standing in front of me.

"Oh _come on_, Jess. I've known you four years now. You can't hide anything from me even if you wanted to!"

I rolled my eyes, knowing it was useless to defend myself. "Okay okay, you win. _This_ time." Chuckling off the remaining humiliation, I layed back on my bed and smiled at the ceiling. "I was expecting to hear another voice when I said hello. No biggie…I'm happy you called, honest!"

I could almost see Kairi's face on the other line – she was probably rolling her eyes and smirking, her hand on a hip. "You're such a bad liar, you know that?"

"Um – well, I know now, don't I? I'll have to work on lying better."

Kairi giggled again, knowing the petty argument taking place between us was just for fun. "Next time I call I want you to lie like you mean it," she told me. "And now, for _my_ little lie…"

"What do you mean?"

"Well…" she trailed off, but I could already hear the mischievous tone in her voice. "What if I told you there's a group going to Kingdom Crest resort after New Year's?"

"I'd say you're crazy!" I laughed into the phone. "That place is, like – for celebrities! There's no way anyone you or I know could afford going in there for two _seconds."_

"Think aga-in!" Kairi sang.

I felt frustrated. _Why is Kairi doing this?_ "You said this was a lie, right? So...there's no way I believe you."

There were a few seconds of silence, and I heard Kairi sigh again. "Jessica, Jessica. You are _so_ gullible. I'm just playing around with you…sorta."

"What?"

"Well, the part I said about me lying…isn't true. I'm telling the truth."

I was confused. "Kairi, you know I'm blonde," I told her in a playful voice. "Why do you torture me like this?"

"_Silly!_ This is for real! I'm serious…there's a group going up to Kingdom Crest for three days!"

My mind began to spin out of control. "How…?!"

"You know Leon, Tidus's friend that comes and visits every few weeks? Well, he knows the guy who owns the resort, and apparently they're good pals. A few days ago the owner invited Leon to come stay for a visit, and told him he could bring as many people as he wanted along for the ride. All of us are going…including Sora. And the best part is, it's free! Can you _believe_ it?"

"No," I whispered, still taking in the news. Since my family wasn't wealthy by any means, there was _no_ chance I'd ever be able to go to the resort…except for now. Too bad I hadn't been invited. "That's…that's great, Kairi. I'm really happy you're going…I bet you guys will have a great time." Even though my words were true, I was turning greener by the second with envy.

I heard Kairi snicker. "You just don't get it, do you?" she laughed. "Why do you think I'd call to tell you all of this? Hmmm?"

A flicker of hope burned inside of me. "I dunno," I lied, this time sounding honest.

"_You're_ invited, Jess! I talked to Leon myself to make sure it was oka – "

_"Whoohoo!"_ I exploded from my room into the kitchen like a rocket, almost smothering my mom and little brother with a tight squeeze around their waists. "I'm invited to Kingdom Crest!" I shrieked, dancing goofily across the linoleum. I could hear Kairi laughing again through the receiver, and darted back to my room before I had a chance to see the reaction of my family. My heart thumped hard against my ribs as I grabbed my calendar and a pen. "When is it?" I asked breathlessly.

"I think about a month from now, on the 20th of January," Kairi told me. "I wanted to let you know in advance so you'd have plenty of time to talk it over with your mom and ask off from work."

"Mom _has_ to let me go," I breathed. "I couldn't imagine her telling me I can't. I'm not missing this – it's a once-in-a-lifetime thing!"

Kairi let out a naughty giggle. "Sora's gonna be pretty happy you're coming," she teased. "I'll have to tell him tonight at the bonfire – "

"Tell that boy he needs to call me! He said he would last week, and I have yet to hear from him…" I trailed off. Someone was beeping in on the other line. "Hold on Kai," I said, and pushed a button on the receiver. _It's probably that dumb telemarketer that called yesterday._ "Hello?"

"Guess who?" I heard the voice and let out a joyous squeal.

"Sora!"

- - -

"Ouch!" I snapped to my senses and rubbed my forehead, glaring at Wakka. "Why'd you hit me?!"

"I didn't!" he laughed, amusement dancing in his eyes. "It was Roxas."

I redirected my scowl at the blonde-haired boy sitting in the front seat, not able to hold back from laughing inside at the expression on his face. "No way, man!" he said, pointing back at Wakka. "How could I get her from up here?"

"Keep it down back there!" Cid yelled, looking at us all through the rearview mirror. "And leave the poor lady alone." He winked at me and uttered a gruff chuckle, adding before he focused his attention back to driving: "It was Wakka."

"I _knew_ it!" I said, smacking Wakka on the arm. "You can't get away with anything even if you tried!"

"Hey, I will next time," he told me with an embarrassed grin, and buried his face in a magazine. I rolled my eyes and touched my forehead again, even though it no longer hurt.

Rikku, a pretty blonde teen whom I had only known a few hours, had been sitting next to Wakka and talking with Kairi. She had seen the whole thing from her seat, and laughed at the sight of us arguing. "I could have told you who it was even before it happened," she said with a smile, her emerald eyes shining. Kairi nodded her head in agreement, and glanced at the boy sleeping next to me, his cheek resting comfortably against my shoulder. "I'm surprised it didn't wake Sora up," she snickered. "He must be high off all that Advil he took before we left."

"Hey, be nice!" I retorted, patting Sora's head. "It wasn't his fault he got a migrain before we left. I'm glad he's getting his sleep so that he won't be grouchy when we get there."

"True," Kairi said, and added with a grin: "Besides, I don't think you can get high off Advil anyways."

A snicker escaped from me and I turned my attention to the window again, realizing the scenery had changed and we were now almost an hour into our journey. For a moment I still couldn't believe I was going to Kingdom Crest, and felt my heart skip with excitement at the thought of having a good time with the people I knew and loved. I was also looking forward to getting to know a few better, like Rikku and her older cousin Yuna, who was in the van behind us with the second part of the group. _Wow. Two vans full of people…let's see now, who are they? In this van there's Cid the driver, Roxas, Wakka, Rikku, me, Sora, and Kairi…and in the second van I think Aerith is driving with Namine, Tidus, Riku, Selphie, Cloud, and Yuna… _

"I hope the resort has enough room for us all," I said quietly, almost to myself. Nobody seemed to hear except for Roxas, who turned and looked back at me with a raised eyebrow. "Why wouldn't they?" he asked. "I know the place is always booked and all, but Leon's buddy already made the arrangements. You know that."

"Yeah, I know…" I said with a sigh. "I guess I'm just paranoid, that's all. I wanna to be able to room with…the people I want."

"Don't worry Jess," Kairi told me, looking over and smiling with her eyes. "We'll be rooming together no matter what. Leon said we could pick up to four people a room, if we wanted."

"That's so cool," Rikku broke in. "Hey, if it's all right with you and Jess, can Yuna and I room with you guys?"

"Uh, sure…" Kairi responded hesitantly, glancing at me. "That is, if it's okay with you."

I shrugged. "Why not?" I told them, smiling at Rikku. "It'll be fun."

Cid's voice suddenly entered the conversation. "Soon we're gonna take our exit off Heartless Highway and get on the interstate!" he announced to us, looking at the back seats through the rearview mirror. "You all know what _that_ means."

"Only six more hours to go!" Wakka shouted, rolling his eyes afterwards. "Oh, whoohoo."

Kairi groaned. "Gosh, it's only been an hour?" she whined, flashing me a helpless look. I returned it with a sympathetic smile, nodding slowly. I didn't mind traveling long distances in the car, but I was getting slightly bored. I watched Kairi lean forward and pull her large violet bag out from under the seat, looking through it until she found her pillow, iPod, and the latest issue of _Seventeen_. Placing the pillow carefully behind her head, she grinned to herself as her favorite song came on her iPod. I could hear the faint melody from the earphones, and almost immediately recognized _Simple and Clean_ by Utada Hikaru. The catchy song had come out several years ago, but it still never failed to bring a smile to our faces when we heard it.

I felt my eyelids drooping once again; I hadn't gotten much rest last night because of being excited about the trip. Sleep sounded like a good idea, so after eyeballing Wakka to make sure he wouldn't wake me up again and shifting my position so that I could lay my head against Sora's (the window was too uncomfortable), I relaxed and closed my eyes. For a few minutes I took in the words exchanged between everyone in the van, and let my thoughts drift. _Hopefully I can sleep a few hours and wake up when we're almost there..._ Before I knew it I had fallen into a warm, peaceful sleep.

- - -

The sand beneath my feet felt warmer than usual as I studied my surroundings, realizing that I was once again at my favorite place in the whole world. The boat taking me home was gently bobbing up and down in the waves nearby as several people on the dock packed my things. It was nice not carrying all my suitcases on board – instead I could spend more time with my friends before leaving. Turning my attention back to the ocean, I casually noticed the small waves that lapped at my feet. _Gosh, seems like I just got here._ _I don't wanna leave… _

I turned at the faint sound of footsteps to see Sora walking in my direction, a sad glint in his eyes. Before he said a word I shook my head and smiled, putting hands on hips. "What did I tell you about making that face?"

"I know, I know," he said, the corners of his mouth slowly turning upward. I beamed, realizing I could always make him smile no matter how he felt.

"That's better," I murmured to him, giving him a peck on the cheek.

He blushed a little and the expression on his face transformed completely. "I don't want you to leave!" he whined, taking my hands in his and squeezing them tightly. "Saying goodbye is…not one of my best skills, ya know?"

"Then don't say it," I told him simply, locking my gaze with his. "I'm not the best at goodbyes either."

Sora chuckled. "Hmmm…yet _another_ thing we have in common." He let go of my hands and pulled me close to him, his hair brushing slightly against my face. "I'm gonna really miss you Jess," he whispered, and I held him tighter, closing my eyes. This moment felt the same as when we had been reunited on the beach after a year of separation. A small tear forced its way through my eye to roll down my cheek, making me sniff. "I told myself I wasn't going to cry!" I whimpered, pulling away a little to wipe my eyes.

I heard Sora chuckle again. "And I suppose that's all my fault, huh?"

"You better believe it," I joked, sniffling again. I was embarrassed to cry in front of him because I knew how stupid I looked, but he didn't seem to mind.

Suddenly I heard Riku. "Hey lovebirds!" he called to us, looking at Sora. "Jess's boat is leavin' in five minutes!"

I felt my heart begin to thump. _Wish I didn't have to head for home so soon. Why can't I stay here for just a few more hours? _Without even asking him, I knew Sora felt the same way by the look in his eyes. "Um…" he started, letting go of me and putting his hands in his pockets. "…I have something for you." Before I could open my mouth to say anything he pulled out a small package, barely the size of his hand. It was covered with dark blue tissue paper, a thin yellow ribbon encircling it. I gasped a little, blue eyes widening with surprise. "I know it's not professionally wrapped or anything, but I didn't have much time," Sora went on, blushing again. "It's not that big a deal."

I took the small bundle from his hand and slowly unwrapped it, not wanting to tear the paper. Inside lay a small hemp choker with tiny blue iridescent beads woven in with the material. A large yellow star-shaped bead hung daintily in the middle, finishing the piece perfectly. Tears once again filled my eyes as I lightly ran my fingers over the necklace. "It's…it's beautiful," I said almost silently, lips quivering.

"I made it myself," Sora declared, taking the choker and carefully fitting it around my neck. "Sure hope it's not too tight – "

Before Sora could finish connecting the clasp, I closed my eyes without thinking and kissed him quickly on the mouth for the first time. Stunned at my confidence and hoping I hadn't taken things too far, I backed away slightly to see his reaction.

Sora's eyes seemed as wide as coconuts, his cheeks a bright crimson. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came. I felt humiliation begin to take hold, and cleared my throat uncomfortably. _What's wrong with me? I shouldn't have done that…this is so awkward! _I looked down at the sand, searching for a way to apologize. "Sora, I'm – "

He put a finger to my lips. "Shhh!" I'd never seen him stare so intensely at my mouth. I listened and didn't say another word, holding my breath as he placed a hand on my cheek and leaned in towards me. A split second later, he was kissing me back without hesitation. Pulsing warmth jolted through every bone in my body like an electric shock and I exhaled heavily, feeling my heart burst into rapid beating within my chest. I willingly responded to his advances and wrapped my arms around his neck, forgetting that Riku, Kairi, and the others were nearby. Sora's hand slid to the back of my head and the other hand to my spine, pressing his body against me. I could feel him trembling all over, squeezing me so tightly that my ribs constricted. But it somehow didn't hurt, so I ignored it.

Suddenly our lips separated, and it was all over almost as soon as it had begun. I had forgotten to breath afterwards, and felt dizzy as I inhaled the sweet island air. Sora did the same. I glanced down at my hands to see them shaking slightly, and tried ignoring the warm throb in my cheeks. Sora wiped the beads of sweat that had formed across his forehead. My brain buzzed with overwhelming feelings, almost unable to take in what had just happened. _Curse these dumb hormones…I should have been able to control myself! Hmmm…wonder how I did for my first kiss…? _I felt a soft hand on my cheek and looked up into Sora's cerulean eyes, getting lost in the endless blue. I was both pleased and amazed by his expression. He didn't look the _least_ bit embarrassed; in fact, never in my entire life had I seen a boy with such a wide grin on his face.

"Wow. I totally wasn't expecting such an awesome thank-you," he said quietly, holding eye contact.

I felt myself relax and giggled off the rest of my discomfort, relief overtaking me. "Yeah…I didn't either!" I breathed, shaking my head. I couldn't take the silly smile off my face, so I rested my head against Sora's chest and closed my eyes once more. I felt good all over, because I now knew there was no other person on earth that could ever make me feel so happy.

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So there ya go! The first chapter. Yes, I know the ending was really really REALLY sappy. lol And don't ask me _how_ I wrote the whole kissing scene part...I've never kissed a guy in my life. HA! Bet you didn't know that before did ya? Well, now you know. Not that it matters...ANYWAYS!!! Reviews make me happy, so click that little button thing below! The next chapter's coming soon, thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2: Cafe Mickey

Whoohoo!!! I finally updated after 500000 years!! lol Actually, it's only been 6 months...but that's still a super long time for me to not update. I'm so sorry! Why haven't I updated, you ask? Because life has been keeping me extra busy, that's why. hehe I really love to escape from it all by writing, so I'm going to start updating again. I had loads of fun writing this chapter, so I hope you guys enjoy it!

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Chapter Two

- **Cafe Mickey** -

I heard a car door slam and stirred slightly at the sound, gradually drifting back to consciousness. As I sluggishly blinked away the remaining sleep from my eyes and focused, I found that Sora and I were the only ones now in the van. "Hey," I whispered to myself, lifting my head. "Where did everybody go?" Pulling my cell phone out of my pocket to check the time, I discovered we weren't even four hours into the trip yet. Letting out a groan, I shoved my cell phone back into my jacket pocket and glanced at Sora. He was still sleeping, an expression of uninterrupted peace on his face. _Wow…I wish I could sleep that deep._ For a moment I considered waking him, but if he still had a headache I didn't want to disturb him. _Then again…the Advil's surely kicked in by now. He should be fine._ Shifting my position on the seat, I caused Sora's head to nod a little. I saw him squint in his sleep and utter a small moan, then a split second later spotted the first small glint of blue of his eyes. He closed them again and sighed heavily, blinking a few times and staring blankly at the space in front of him, disoriented.

"Hey sleepyhead," I murmured. He immediately focused at the sound of my voice and turned his head to look at me, a drowsy smile on his face. I was relieved to see that his headache had left him for the time being, and playfully kissed the tip of his nose. "How do you feel?"

Sora blinked again and uttered a loud yawn, stretching his arms and legs far out in front of him. "I…feel great," he told me in a hoarse voice, clearing his throat afterwards. "My head isn't killing me anymore." Suddenly we both heard a low gurgling noise. Sora shot an embarrassed glance down at his stomach.

I giggled and rested my forehead on his shoulder. "Looks like somebody needs food!"

Sora scratched the back of his head as his stomach continued to growl, trying to hide his humiliation. "Yeah…those gummi worms didn't hold me for very long…" he sat up abruptly, his eyes widening at the sight of empty seats in front of him. "Where is everyone?"

I shrugged. "That's what I was wondering. I guess they're inside taking a break – and probably eating some food too."

"Hmm." Sora leaned forward to peer out the window, squinting through the glass. "Ever heard of Café Mickey?"

"You can't be serious."

Sora continued to stare at the restaurant's sign almost in awe, eyebrow raised. "That's…what it says," he chuckled. When he turned to look at me and saw the expression on my face, he broke out into laughter. "Not even Kodak could capture that look," he said after a few seconds passed, trying to recover from his short laughing fit.

I shook my head and grinned. "Well then...let's hope Café Mickey has some really good food."

After making sure the doors to the van were locked, Sora and I headed into the restaurant. I studied my surroundings shortly before following Sora inside and saw nothing but hotels, fast food places, and gas stations that stretched as far as the eye could see. Yet for all the rest stops and eateries, there weren't that many people around with the exeption of cars parked at the hotels. I wanted to get a better look at everything, but Sora was waiting for me at the entrance and the wind chill was dropping by the minute, instantly freezing the parts of my body that were exposed. Shuddering violently from the cold, I yanked my jacket collar up around my neck and followed Sora inside.

A warm gust of air greeted us both as we came in through the double doors. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Sora grin and shiver the remaining cold off. "That's better," he said. "The cold was really getting to me."

I chuckled my agreement and held on to his arm, scanning the restaurant for our friends. _This place looks a lot bigger on the inside. I wonder how long everyone's been here – and if they're done eating? _As my eyes contined to dart from table to table, I began noticing other things about the café and decided it wasn't so bad after all. There wasn't a speck of dust or trash anywhere, and the tables were cleaned almost immediately after people were finished eating and got up to leave. Pleasant music hummed in the background, adding to the atmosphere, and the waitresses all had a cheerful spark in their eyes. The tiled floor looked almost new – and very expensive. I heard a cashier shouting out orders to the cook in the kitchen, and there was a big screen TV hanging from one of the cream-yellow walls. There was even a stand with homemade desserts behind the counter, the white ceiling lights reflecting off the viewing glass. The delicious aroma of different foods and pastries graced my nose, causing my stomach to moan and twist inside of me. I shot a hungry glace at Sora and saw his expression perk up as he discovered where our group was sitting. I followed his gaze and saw two large tables near the back of the café, placed straight below a red and yellow neon sign that said "Feed Your Face Here." I narrowed my eyes and spotted Riku waving at us, a menu in his hand.

"Good, they haven't ordered yet," Sora thought out loud. "It would have been _really_ embarrassing if we came in when everyone had finished eating."

I laughed at the thought, relieved we had woken up in time. "C'mon," I told Sora, taking his hand and making my way towards the group. "Let's go eat something."

"It's about time you guys woke up!" Tidus teased as we approached the tables, a twinkle in his eye. Aerith was sitting next to him, and covered her mouth with a hand to laugh quietly.

"We started to think you two were dead," Selphie piped up. "But we saved you both seats just in case! See?" She motioned to a pair of empty seats near the end of the other table.

"Thanks guys," Sora responded, grinning his appreciation. "And oh yeah…sorry about making you all wait."

"You didn't," Rikku assured us. "We've actually only been in here for a few minutes. Our waiter hasn't even come to ask what we wanted to drink yet."

"Oh okay, good." I felt more relief coming on. _How perfect…we didn't make anybody wait, and now we can all order at the same time_. _That way we can leave at the same time and get to Kingdom Crest sooner. _I was really getting excited about finally seeing the place for myself, and was so busy thinking about it that I almost forgot where my designated seat was.

Sora and I ended up at Cid, Roxas, Kairi, and Namine's table. Since I didn't know anyone very well except for Kairi, I sat between her and Sora. For some strange reason I felt shy around Namine, even though we had been briefly introduced earlier that morning before the trip. Trying my best to push the feeling aside, I made eye contact with her and smiled, attempting to break the ice. She hesitated, and returned the gesture with a short nod before returning to her menu. Uneasiness began to knaw at me, but I shook it off and gave Sora's hand a small squeeze under the table. He winked at me reassuredly, sensing how I felt.

Kairi gave my arm a mischievious nudge with her elbow. "Have a good nap?" she asked, brushing a few unruly strands of hair away from my eyes.

"Mm-hmm," I told her, glancing at Roxas. He had been talking to Cid, but was now discreetly watching us both. When he realized I had noticed him, he quickly looked away and grinned. Kairi had observed the whole thing as well, and snickered. "What do you think _that_ was all about?"

"I dunno," I shrugged. "Dare me to ask him?"

To my surprise Kairi's eyes widened in disbelief, the slightest hint of red appearing in her cheeks. _"Seriously?"_

"Ooh, looks like somebody has a little crush," I sang jokingly in her ear, and she slapped my leg from under the table.

"Shut up Jess! He's watching us right now!" Kairi hissed.

I gulped, praying that what I said had only been heard by Kairi, and casually looked in Roxas' direction. Once again he looked away with a grin on his face, shaking his head. _What's up with him? If he's trying to look like he hasn't been watching us, he's doing a terrible job. _I was about to ask if something was wrong when Roxas made eye contact and opened his mouth to speak. "Hey, are you two sisters or something?"

Sora heard the question from his spot at the table, and began to laugh. "Man, are you serious? They don't even _look_ the same!"

Kairi and I glimpsed at each other and started laughing as well, causing a few people from the surrounding tables to turn their heads curiously. Roxas stared down at his silverware, completely mortified. Feeling sorry for making such a scene, I reached over and gave his hand a quick pat. "Don't feel bad. Kairi and I are so close that we're basically like sisters."

"Where'd you get such a scatter-brained idea like that, boy?" Cid guffawed, sticking the tines of a fork between his teeth.

"I guess it's because they're both so pretty," Roxas joked, relaxing a bit. Suddenly Namine's head shot up from the menu, her icy stare boring into Roxas like a hot knife through butter. "Don't," she spat, glowering at him almost in disgust. He immediately became tense again, wincing at the sound of her voice. The table became silent, discomfort and unease spreading to everyone like a virus. I propped my menu upright on the table and concealed myself behind it, not daring to look at anybody else. _Thank God these menus are big enough to hide my face...what the heck was that all about? Poor Roxas – Namine must be going through major pms or something._

"The waiter came just in time," Sora murmured anxiously to me some seconds later, and I peeked out from my menu for a better look.

A young man with dark hair and broad shoulders approached our table with a notepad, his cheerful brown eyes scanning each of us. "Hey, my name's Rai and I'll be taking care of you guys today, ya know?" he told us in a boisterous voice. "What are you guys gonna drink today, ya know?"

"Um…" Cid started, looking at Roxas. "Let the kid go first."

"Pepsi for me," Roxas mumbled, staring blankly at the menu.

"Water," Namine said flatly.

"Root beer for us," I told Rai, motioning to Sora and me.

"I'll have some strawberry lemonade please," Kairi asked sweetly.

"Coke, thanks," Cid grunted.

When Rai left with our drink orders, I could feel the apprehension returning. _No way. I'm not going to let Namine's attitude ruin everything. _"What are you getting, Kai?" I nonchalantly asked, turning towards her in my seat.

She took a moment to respond, as if she had been stuck in a trance. "Um, I dunno. I think I actually might wanna…split something, if that's okay. I'm trying to save my money for when we get to Kingdom Crest."

I nodded in agreement. "Sure, that sounds great. As long as we don't get anything with tomatoes in it."

"I'm going to order _extra_ tomatoes on my burger," Sora taunted, sticking his tongue out at me.

"Good. That way I can smear some in your hair," I shot back, poking him in the ribs. He let out a small yelp of astonishment, holding his sides protectively.

"Watch it Jess…I'm really ticklish there."

"Hmmm…I'll have to remember that," I said with a smirk.

Kairi groaned. "I think I'm gonna puke over here if these two aren't separated," she told Cid, making sure I heard her. I took my root beer and pretended to pour it on top of Kairi's head, making her squeal.

It didn't take long for Rai to get our drinks, and soon he was in the kitchen yelling out our orders. I could smell the food as it was being cooked, and my mouth began to water. Everyone wanted burgers and shakes, since Café Mickey was supposedly famous for that. Kairi and I decided to rebel and split an order of buffalo wings instead. A few minutes before our food arrived, Riku came to our table and talked with Sora for a few minutes. Every now and then he'd flick a wadded up straw wrapper at me after dipping it in Sora's root beer, so I got revenge by slipping a few ice cubes down his shirt as he returned to his table. It was the first time I had ever seen Riku move in a way similar to dancing, and laughed so hard I almost cried. After the ice had shattered on the floor, Riku whirled around and pointed at me with a raised eyebrow. "Now it's war," he said in a low voice, a challenging glint in his eyes. "You're gonna pay when we get outside." I rolled my eyes and traded smiles with Sora, knowing Riku would forget all about it in a matter of minutes.

"Here's your food, ya know?" Rai announced, approaching our table with a large tray of burgers and shakes – and one plate of buffalo wings in the center. We willingly took our plates and passed them down until everyone had what they wanted. Afterwards the feast began, and the table grew silent as we all began stuffing our faces.

"Mmmm! These buffalo wings are delicious!" Kairi said, dripping honey mustard on the table. "You _have _to try one of these."

I went to grab a wing when Kairi snatched the biggest one from the plate, bathed it in sauce, and shoved it in my mouth. "Mph!" I yelped, grabbing a napkin.

"Well? Whaddya think?"

I took a large bite and put the remaining half on Sora's plate, giving Kairi a thumbs-up. "It's yummy," I finally managed to say after swallowing, adding with a chuckle: "But next time warn me befrore you cram something down my throat!"

Kairi made a small noise of amusement, dunking another wing in bleu cheese. "Oh, yeah…guess I got a little carried away there," she giggled through her napkin.

Cid slurped loudly on his milkshake, observing Rai taking orders at a nearby booth. He grumbled something to himself, leering at his food. I laughed out loud at his expression, trying to follow the direction of his gaze. "What is it, Cid?"

"I'm listenin' to our waiter," he told me, pointing a spoon in Rai's direction. "Every dang sentence has to end in 'ya know?' with that guy!"

"It's annoying!" Sora agreed, dipping his fry in ketchup. "He doesn't act like the brightest crayon in the box."

"Those were probably the first words he said as a child, and he loves saying it so much that he has to finish every sentence the same," I snickered.

Roxas, who had been eating in silence, looked up from his plate and put a finger to his mouth. "Ssh guys, here he comes."

"You all ready for your bill, ya know?"

Sora, Kairi, Cid, and I simultaneously burst into uncontrollable fits of laughter, instigating an aggravated frown from Namine. Roxas sunk low in his seat, covering his face with humiliation. I heard Sora apologize a few seconds later, telling Rai we had all just heard a funny joke. _Oh my gosh, that's the oldest excuse in the book! I can't believe Sora told him that…even though poor Rai will probably fall for it. _Sure enough, our waiter left and came back with our checks, an oblivious grin on his face.

"Have an awesome day, ya know?"

It didn't take long for our group to line up at the cash register after eating. Fortunately I was one of the first to pay, and went outside afterwards to wait on the others. A few minutes passed before Aerith came through the doors, followed by Wakka, Selphie, and Yuna. I felt my mouth curling upwards in a smile when Sora and Kairi came with their coats zipped up to their chins and hats pulled down past their eyebrows. The sun was now hidden behind thick clouds heavy with snow, and the wind blew in short, strong gusts. I watched my breath form in the frigid air almost in wonder, breathing out slowly. "Yep. It's definitely getting colder," I murmured.

Kairi jumped up and down, shrieking excitedly as she ran towards me with her hands in her pockets. She came to an abrupt stop just inches from my face and gave me a quick squeeze, nearly knocking us both to the cement. "This is so neat!" she breathed, looking up at the sky. "I've never been so cold in my life, but I can't wait to see it snow!"

"If I knew better, I'd think you were excited," Tidus playfully mocked, approaching the van to stand with us. Kairi head-butted his arm, her hat coming down over her eyes.

"Ahh! Jess, can you fix my hat? I can't see!"

Tidus and I exchanged amused looks. "Why c-can't you d-do it?" he asked, teeth chattering.

"I have gloves on but I don't want my hands to get cold, farthead!" Kairi stumbled forwards into me, laughing harder than I'd ever remembered her doing. "Sorry, it's just…I can't see! Haha!"

"Is Kairi on drugs?" Rikku asked with a grin, coming to stand beside Tidus in her green peacoat. I nodded, silently giggling.

"You look like you're in a straightjacket, Kai! It's one of the funniest things I've ever seen," I told her after fixing her hat.

"Sora's doing the same thing," she responded with a silly laugh, motioning her head towards him. "You can _so_ tell we're not used to this weather." I gazed at him fondly as he covered his face with his scarf until you could only see his eyes. _How did I ever manage to end up with somebody that adoreable?_

The sound of Aerith's voice almost echoed through the parking lot, and everyone stopped what they were doing. "Are we all here?" she called, looking around her with a soft smile. "Anyone who isn't here speak up now, or forever hold your peace!" There were a few giggles exchanged between the group, then silence. Cid turned to Aerith and told her we were all accounted for in his group except for Roxas, who was still inside. She nodded. "We're leaving in a few minutes, guys! So make sure you haven't left anything inside, and don't forget to use the restroom!"

Several went back inside, some just to get out of the cold. Sora stood next to the entrance and watched them all quietly, leaning against the blue tiled wall. Suddenly I saw his eyes widen a little with shock and disbelief at something inside. He shot me an alarmed glance, gesturing with a hand for me to come over after the others shut the doors behind them. I felt my stomach sink; whatever Sora was seeing, it wasn't good. _Maybe some food caught fire in the kitchen, or a waitress spilled a drink…_

"What is it?"

Sora didn't say a word. Instead he intensified his gaze, hinting that I should look in the direction he was. I turned to face the doors and gasped, pity and resentment swelling within me.

At the back of the restaurant where we had eaten, Namine had Roxas in a corner, her mouth moving silently through the glass. She had both hands on her hips and her chest out, cobalt eyes flickering with hostility. Roxas was frowning down at his feet, an pitiful look of despair on his face. People at the nearby booths glimpsed at them nervously, and the cashier began whispering something to one of the waiters. Namine suddenly grabbed the collar of Roxas' shirt, demanding he look at her while she continued her rant. He sighed heavily and pulled away from her grip, only to have her seething just inches from his face again.

"That's so unnecessary," Sora protested, shaking his head in disgust.

I formed a tight fist with my hand, biting my lip until it almost started bleeding. "We have to do something," I said, going for the door.

"No Jess!" Sora took my arm, pulling me back towards him. "It's not our fight."

"But Namine's being such a bi – "

"I know. But if I let you go in there, things are gonna get ugly…and I'd rather have you stay here with me and keep me warm."

I rolled my eyes and glared at the wall in front of me. "I can't just stand here and let her do that to him."

Sora put a glove-covered hand on my shoulder, looking me straight in the eye. "I know. But you know what you _can_ do?"

"What?"

"Promise me we'll never _ever_ get that way."

Relaxing a little, I allowed Sora to lead me away from the entrance back to the van, his arm around me.

"I promise."


End file.
